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RHL Accession #5O76 Most Private
(Resolution of Govt of India)
10, South Street Park Lane W.
My dear Sir
I received on Monday a letter from Simla saying: "We are, however, now engaged in remedying this defect" (viz "defect" in "fostering the village organisation in Bombay" & in "establishing an executive Agency") "and I have at present under consideration a proposal for the introduction into the Bombay Council of an Act which not only provides for Sanitation in villages, & establishes that executive agency to which you refer, but will also link the village community to the larger territorial area under the control of the local & District Boards". I feel so very anxious as to whether this "proposal" is practically satisfactory. Can you tell what it is? It must be something, I suppose, on the lines of which Sir Raymond West is to draft the Bill of which you told me.
Lord Dufferin is evidently in earnest in laying down those lines - in pursuance of his "Resolution- for the 'Subordinate Administrations' to work on, as far as he can, in preparation for his successor.
2. I am reminded that the "recently re-cast" Municipal Acts "confer large powers for promoting Sanitary & other improvements" & for "entertaininq the agencies necessary for these purposes".
In the Municipalities in Bombay Presy are you satisfied with these "powers" & these "agencies? Or is Ahmedabad the only Muny which uses them properly?
3. In the same letter from Simla he refers again, in answer to the question "how funds are to be provided for the sanitation of villages, to the fact that some of the local Govt Acts "give power to impose taxation locally for local purposes". And that Madras especially exercises it & that others (other Local Govts) I suppose, Bombay - are being "urged to arm themselves with it".
Copies of the Madras & Bombay Acts (of which last you kindly sent me an abstract) of the N.W.P. Act, of the Panjab Act, of the Central Provinces Act, & of the Bengal Act, are sent me from Simla.
I have glanced thro' them, but do not find them very satisfactory. I always remember what you told me that "villagers" do not so much object to be taxed as to find that nothing is done in their own village of what they have paid for.
Only in one act (Madras) do I find a provision even of this sort: viz. that each Taluq shall receive back from the District Fund for certain approved purposes at least half of the amount of (taxes) taxation said Taluq has paid.
However I have had time to look but cursorily at these Acts. And I had much rather hear your opinion of all these things.
ever sincerely yrs
F. NIGHTINGALE
I bear in mind your excellent Notes on the "Resolution itself - how to work it out.
What other Province has a village organisation workable like that of Bombay?
F. N.
T. G. Hewlett, Esq.